Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate the antiangiogenic effects and safety of topically applied low-molecular-weight heparin-taurocholate 7 (LHT7) on corneal neovascularization (CoNV).
Methods :
Subconjunctival LHT7 injection was reported to attenuate corneal neovascularization (CoNV) after chemical cauterization in a rat model, despite complications that included corneal stromal hemorrhage. Topical applications of LHT7 should be considered to overcome this side effect. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of six animals each. Corneal centers were cauterized by application of a silver/potassium nitrate solution. From 2 days after cauterization, 12.5 mg/mL (low LHT7 group) or 25 mg/mL (high LHT7 group) LHT7 was topically administered three times daily; 12.5 mg/mL bevacizumab was topically administered in the positive control (bevacizumab) group, with normal saline administered in the negative control (NS) group. Digital photographs of the cornea were taken 1 and 2 weeks later to calculate the CoNV percentage from the area of neovascularized cornea.
Results :
The CoNV percentage did not significantly differ among the four study groups at 1 week after injury (p>0.05). However, the CoNV percentage in the low LHT, high LHT, and bevacizumab groups significantly decreased compared with that in the NS group at 2 weeks (all p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the CoNV among the low LHT, high LHT, and bevacizumab groups (all p>0.05). In all groups except the NS group, the percentage of CoNV decreased at 2 weeks post-injury compared with that observed at 1 week (all p<0.05).
Conclusions :
Topically-administered LHT7 inhibited CoNV without complication after chemical cauterization in the rat.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.